kalopsia ;;

the delusion of things being more beautiful than they really are. - penned by rosalie -

[lilyofthevvlley]

ｌｉｌｙｏｆｔｈｅｖｖｌｌｅｙ | pinned post

❝ she looks like the sun as it rises after it's kissed the dawn ❞

bennett ainsley ( 302 years old › vampire › he & him ) | all posts | bio

birdie moreau ( 289 years old › vampire › she & they ) | all posts | bio

chainika giri ( 26 years old › siren › she & they ) | all posts | bio

cordelia coldwell ( 53 years old › witch › she & her ) | all posts | bio

deenpal bhatti ( 37 years old › human › he & they ) | all posts | bio

delphine ren ( 27 years old › mermaid › she & her ) | all posts | bio

kadiatou mbaye ( 818 years old › dragon › she & they ) | all posts | bio

kendrick davis ( 50 years old › werewolf › he & him ) | all posts | bio

jameson malcolm ( 31 years old › human › he & him ) | all posts | bio

lennon richards ( 62 years old › ghost › they & them ) | all posts | bio

marilyn malcolm ( 25 years old › human-mermaid hybrid › she & her ) | all posts | bio

roisin balfe ( 112 years old › banshee › she & her ) | all posts | bio

scarlett barlow ( 46 years old › human › she & her ) | all posts | bio

[lilyofthevvlley]

"oh, of course," bennett said, letting out a shaky breath, shrugging off the overwhelming sense of familiarity that had blanketed him in the woman's presence. it was just - cady's heart had fluttered that same way - one weaker thump every three beats, so subtle not even an ultrasound had picked it up, but bennett could. bennett had been fluent in the language of his love, could read every twitch of her nose, every quirk of her smile, every beat of her heart. oh god he missed her something terrible, but that wasn't the fault of the woman in front of him.

"sorry, i just - got lost in my head for a moment there," he said, waving a hand with a wistful little smile, forcing it into something bright. "i'm a terrible host, please, don't apologize, and welcome to the neighborhood! it's been a while since we've gotten a new neighbor." glancing over his shoulder, he listened to sami hum, heard the drag of her crayons, made sure the green beans weren't still cooking, and turned back to the woman. "if you're around for long enough, my daughter will probably try selling you cookies, you do not need to buy them. we're plenty well off, and neither of us are all that great in the kitchen" he joked, offering her his hand. "i'm-" he started, losing the rest of his sentence the moment their skin touched, that blanket of familiarity feeling more like a cannon being shot through his chest. cadance, cadance, cadance, his brain screamed at him. bennett yanked his hand back as if he'd been electrocuted, feeling every bit as if he had, and shot her an apologetic glance. "i'm - christ, i'm sorry, i'm not usually like this, i - i'm all out of sorts, you just... i was just reminded of someone. you'll have to forgive me." he paused, moving to lift his hand again before letting it fall back to his side, not entirely sure his immortality would stand up to that blow to the chest again. "i'm bennett, i didn't catch your name?"

[moorliit]

would he be upset about the little lie she just told? cadance couldn't quite tell by the look on his face. she had hoped he would understand why she just didn't come out and yell "it's me, cadance. the wife you watch die giving birth to our daughter." that probably wouldn't have gone over well. no - this seemed like the safest option for now. she sucked in the air, holding it between her cheeks before he spoke again. oh, how he had missed his voice. the way it would change just as he was falling asleep or when he was angry. the way hit would hitch when she kissed her favourite spot on his neck. even if he didn't notice her yet, she would do everything to just listen to him speak.

at the mention of sami, something pulled at cady's heart, twisting it in her chest. where she had committed everything about bennett to memory, his daughter - their daughter - was a complete stranger. it wasn't like the little one would recall the stories told or the songs cady sang while she was still pregnant. "i've never been able to turn down a child knocking at my door trying to sell something. she can come knocking and i'll pay whatever she asks," she muttered, wondering if the little girl would come be curious as to who was at the door and come running. when their hands touched, something sparked in cadance like a fire had been reignited. as if part of her was dormant until she had connected with him again. "cadance. but you'll call me cady," she said breathlessly.

[lilyofthevvlley]

bennett felt like he was going to catch fire, which was... awful, and familiar, but familiar in a way that seemed as if it had happened to another person entirely. he'd lost cady years ago, and when that happened, he lost himself, too. he became what sami needed him to be - a father, and a good one at that, but he was incapable of being anything else. this flickering heat in his empty veins that were screaming at him to pull this woman against his body was awakening that version of himself that he had buried next to his wife, and it was as addictive as it was terrifying. 'daddy, who's there', sami called out from inside, snapping bennett out of his stupor just long enough to reply. "It's a new neighbor, bubs, just keep coloring." 'can I meet them?' she asked, and bennett shot the woman an apologetic glance. "no talking to strangers, remember?" he heard a frustrated huff and playfully rolled his eyes at the woman in front of him. "i'm sorry," he said. "you were saying?"

it was... indescribable, the feeling that nearly knocked him clean to the ground as she answered her name. he was torn between falling to his knees and slamming the door in her face. "i-," he gasped, less an actual attempt at speaking and more an exhale of breath. he stepped onto the porch, clicking the door shut behind him and taking a moment to gather his thoughts before replying. it's hopeless, any semblance of a thought is bouncing wildly around his skull. "it..." cady is on repeat in his mind. meeting another woman who makes his fucking soul ache is one thing, that same woman being named cadance is another, but to know the exact name he always used... the word that had last passed his lips when he was screaming it, cradling her body to his chest... the ground was shaking beneath him. "I don't know what - I don't know if this is a joke, or some kind of - you... what are... what is this? please, cady, tell me what this is." and it didn't matter if he sounded like a fucking lunatic, he felt like one, too. he just needed to know.

[moorliit]

ric grimaced at the charred stuff peppers for a few seconds before finally resolving that there was nothing to be done about them now. when he turned back to della, the frown was a permanent fixture on their face. at least until his arms were wrapped around della and he felt the weight of his failure lift from his shoulders. "i know you love them, but that doesn't mean that they make a meal," he muttered, leaning in to place a kiss at the top of her head. "well, shall i continue on with trying to make this fancy and plate the mashed potatoes? or shall i just grab us a pair of spoons and we can eat out of the pot like the cave people we so clearly are?" they asked, chuckling a bit. "i'm happy to be spending time with you too, but i had wanted tonight to be extra special."

[lilyofthevvlley]

delphine brushed her fingers along ric's frown lines, scrunching her nose up in an attempt to dispel any lingering worries he had that tonight wasn't already perfect. melting into their embrace, humming contently beneath the feel of his lips, she smiled up at him. "fancy's overrated," she finally said. "spoons it is - and if we're hungry later, we can just walk down to the diner. I'll take any excuse to hold your hand in public," she teased, fingers tracing lines down their long arms before she laced their fingers together. "I can think of a few ways to make it special, most of them start with a kiss... but we can open the wine I brought and you can tell me why you're so worked up about those poor stuffed peppers," she said, squeezing alaric's hands. and then, because she still couldn't quite believe she was allowed to, she added on - "i'd still like that to start with a kiss, though."

[spxxkygays]

open starter for @veritasislestarter

muses: julian x upt

location: anywhere

"So my experiment has finally worked, I can now give humans a fighting chance in case our beautiful little island gets attacked. Now the only problem is, how do I even get volunteers for this program? I've had success once already, but how do I sway public opinion without having people on my ass?" Julian said thinking more so to himself than anything.

[lilyofthevvlley]

"Oh dear Christ, do I need to be worried about an attack?! Who would attack this place? I didn't even know it existed until my boat got swept into a storm and landed here! I'm not cut out for an attack on a supernatural island!" Regaining control of himself, Deenpal took a long, deep breath. "I - well, yes, if I'm in danger, then I'll do whatever I must to stay safe. What does it involve?"

[lilyofthevvlley]

open starter for @veritasislestarter muses: kendrick x utp location: anywhere in justport

"ah, yes! we're having mundane mortal night coming up soon. all love to our human friends, but we'll all be dressed as attorneys and managers and copywriters, all those funny, boring human jobs. and then... of course, it takes a very boneyard turn, but tickets are still up for grabs if you're interested!"

[lilyofthevvlley]

open starter for: @veritasislestarter muses: winnie x utp location: anywhere !

"no, no, don't get me wrong, i think this island is adorable, i was just saying it could do with a few more... high end establishments. it's not a criticism, it's an observation, a statement that it's an untapped market. one fine dining restaurant is simply not enough."

[moorliit]

her heart pounded in her chest while she waited for what seemed like an eternity for the door to open. she wondered if he'd be able to hear it; if it sounded the same as before. "i-" cadance sucked in her breath when the door opened and she was face to face with him. every bit of strength she had was focused on keeping her feet planted so as not to jump into his arms. she hardly recognized herself when she first looked in the mirror. it would have been foolish to think bennett would know her. this was a mistake.

"no, i'm not looking for the tenors," cady replied, meeting bennett's eyes, urging him to see who she was. "i'm sorry to drop by uninvited," she said quietly. "i moved in across the street, and i-uh, i'm introducing myself to the neighbours," she lied, her ruse coming back into her brain while she stretched out her hand, hoping her nerves had calmed down.

[lilyofthevvlley]

"oh, of course," bennett said, letting out a shaky breath, shrugging off the overwhelming sense of familiarity that had blanketed him in the woman's presence. it was just - cady's heart had fluttered that same way - one weaker thump every three beats, so subtle not even an ultrasound had picked it up, but bennett could. bennett had been fluent in the language of his love, could read every twitch of her nose, every quirk of her smile, every beat of her heart. oh god he missed her something terrible, but that wasn't the fault of the woman in front of him.

"sorry, i just - got lost in my head for a moment there," he said, waving a hand with a wistful little smile, forcing it into something bright. "i'm a terrible host, please, don't apologize, and welcome to the neighborhood! it's been a while since we've gotten a new neighbor." glancing over his shoulder, he listened to sami hum, heard the drag of her crayons, made sure the green beans weren't still cooking, and turned back to the woman. "if you're around for long enough, my daughter will probably try selling you cookies, you do not need to buy them. we're plenty well off, and neither of us are all that great in the kitchen" he joked, offering her his hand. "i'm-" he started, losing the rest of his sentence the moment their skin touched, that blanket of familiarity feeling more like a cannon being shot through his chest. cadance, cadance, cadance, his brain screamed at him. bennett yanked his hand back as if he'd been electrocuted, feeling every bit as if he had, and shot her an apologetic glance. "i'm - christ, i'm sorry, i'm not usually like this, i - i'm all out of sorts, you just... i was just reminded of someone. you'll have to forgive me." he paused, moving to lift his hand again before letting it fall back to his side, not entirely sure his immortality would stand up to that blow to the chest again. "i'm bennett, i didn't catch your name?"

[whatelsecanwedonow]

ECHO (2024) E02 | Lowak

[possession]

ANYA TAYLOR-JOY via Instagram

[bloodwiine]

"That's quite poetic of you, if you ever decide to retire you might consider writing a book," he complimented, a playful tinge to his tone, meeting Scarlett's gaze. Silas dared to take another step forward at the other's evident interest. His hand brushed against her waist, fingertips dancing over the fabric of her dress, "I think you and I both know life is too short to err on the side of caution, certainly if you want it to be a fun one." Silas continued to tease, pulling her into him, his other hand cupping Scarlett's, pressing them both into his chest. "It's a good thing I'm no ordinary man then," he purred against her ear. "Arr, when do we set sail?"

[lilyofthevvlley]

Scarlett flushed, either in spite of herself or in a response entirely under her control, her porcelain cheeks dusted in pink at the slightest touch of the other's hand. Her long lashes batted up at him with a small shrug. "Life's too short, eh?," she asked curiously. "And exactly how many decades have you been saying that, hmm?," she teased, yelping playfully as he pulled her against his body. "Silas," Scarlett sighed, batting her lashes up at Silas as he spoke, her back arching so she could press further into him. "There's not a person in here who would dare assume you to an ordinary man." Her hand flattened out over where a heartbeat would lie, fingertips sliding up his chest and up his throat, around his neck. "Now tell me, do you actually want to hear the things I've done, or would you rather I just show you?" She leaned forward, red painted lips brushing over Silas' jugular vein, a grin forming there. "They've written songs about me for a reason, you know."

[moorliit]

starter status: closed for @lilyofthevvlley (ric & della) location: alaric's home

"no, it's not funny," alaric said, trying to contain a laugh of his own while tossing the smoking pan into the sink. the plan had been to cook a romantic dinner for him and della and it had been going according to plan until he forgot to turn off the oven once the timer went off. "i wanted to do something nice for you," ric frowned as they walked around the counter to sit next to her. "now all i have is mashed potatoes and that's not exactly a meal."

[lilyofthevvlley]

desperately fighting to regain control over the fit of giggles she'd fallen into, delphine rearranged her expression into something adjacent to seriousness. "of course, of course," she said, nodding at alaric. "not funny at all." with a smile, she wrapped both of her arms around one of theirs, resting her chin on ric's shoulder before batting her lashes up at him. "it's really okay, ric. and besides, i love mashed potatoes! they're vegetarian and salty and savory and they expand once they get into your stomach so we'll be full in no time!" with another smile, she traced his jaw with her fingertips, eyes exploring all of the angles of their face. "you do nice things for me all the time, alaric. i'm just happy to be spending time with you."

[bloodwiine]

Reborn and confused, if he was the lead singer of a rock band, that's what he'd title his next album. Instead, that was his current state of being. Truthfully, he wasn't entirely sure where he was, just that it wasn't the alternative plane of existence he'd grown accustomed to. After shaking the initial shock of being reborn, he decided to wander into town with the hope of becoming acquainted with his surroundings, though the more he wandered, the more his memory started to return to him.

Lennox, the name rang through his mind, eating away at him but Seymour had yet to put a picture to the name. Then, the faint voice stopped him dead in his tracks, that was them. He knew it in his soul, even before he turned toward the source, but then seeing them, all the memories came flooding back.

"Len?" he echoed in a hoarse whisper, his eyes filled with a mix of confusion, recognition, and a hint of longing

[lilyofthevvlley]

A sort of crumbling sensation rattled against the confines of Lennon's chest. Their lungs had long since stopped breathing, but at they saw Seymour, they felt similar to a sandcastle that had been crushed beneath a heavy wave, only to be rebuilt as something better, something new and happy and good. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that the puzzle piece they'd been searching for just clicked. Fell right into place. Oh god, their mind was flooded with questions - did he miss Lennon right back? Had he suffered those long, lonely years in their entirety, too? Was he alright? Safe, healthy, okay?

Before their brain had a chance to catch up with all of the internal inquiries, they were sprinting in his direction, their arms only half-tangible as Lenny threw them around Seymour, breathing in the presence of him. "Is it really you? Are you really here?," they asked, fighting a sob.

[moorliit]

starter status: closed for @lilyofthevvlley (cadance & bennett) location: outside the ainsley home

her hands were shaking - rightfully so. cadance never thought she would see bennett again or their daughter but after years of searching, she'd finally found her way back to them. but she was scared because there was a lot that can happen to a person over the course of five years. cady had first spotted them at the park just a few days back while coming out of the coffee shop. at first she thought it was a cruel figment of her imagination, but she had been compelled to follow them. of all the things, it had come down to stalking her own family, but she had to be absolutely sure that it was him. and that the little girl was her daughter.

"you were reborn from ashes, cady. you can do this," she muttered to herself. taking a deep breath, cadance forced her feet to move, carrying her along the path that led to the front door until she was at arm's length. mustering all the courage she had, cadance reached up and wrapped her fingers around the door knocker and knocking a few times.

[lilyofthevvlley]

the smell of sami's human diet burned bennett's hyper-sensitive nose as he stir-fried green beans for the evening's dinner, and while pondering this, his chin tilted up at the sound of his doorbell. hmm. "were you expecting someone?," he asked sami jokingly. she fell into a fit of giggles, shaking her head. 'no daddy!' she squealed, going back to the highly intriguing coloring book page she was working on. "alright, i'll go check, you stay here, okay?" 'mkay!' with that, he took the pan off its heat, tucking the handle in and away from where sami might accidentally try to reach it, and wiped his hands on the cloth over his shoulder on the walk to the front door.

"oh," he said, taking in the sight of the woman standing before him. she was... beautiful in a way that had bennett's cold, dead heart thumping, which felt unnatural at best and guilt-inducing at worst. he hadn't looked at a woman in that way since... "sorry," he said, shaking off the strange feeling. "can i help you? i don't believe we were expecting anyone tonight, if you were looking for the tenors, they're just down the street."

[bloodwiine]

"Hm?" Sammy called out, halting in her tracks and turning towards the source at the sound of her name, brows furrowing in confusion. Surely they weren't talking to her? Sammy thought to themselves before the Sami in question bumped into them, nearly knocking the tea out of her hands but with a quick spell muttered, Sammy prevented it from spilling everywhere. Or more so, from anyone getting burnt.

"Careful now," she chuckled softly, putting a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder. "That could've ended far worse, you know?" Sammy teased, glancing up from the small child at the approaching father. "I think it's the senses tingling at the whole fellow Sammy, we can sense one another you know? It's fine, admittedly I was more concerned about getting my hot tea on her."

[lilyofthevvlley]

Bennett huffed out a sigh, a small wave of his hand beckoning Samima back to his side. "You'll have to forgive her, she feels a bit... untouchable, which I'm sure is the case for any child her age, but..." Well, as a vampire hybrid, Sami was pretty unlike the other children her age. "But I'm trying to teach her that just because you feel untouchable doesn't mean you are, isn't that right, Sami?" With a pout Sami crossed her arms and nodded at the ground. "Did you hear that, kiddo? Her name's Sammy, too!" By then, his daughter had moved onto observing a snail crawling along the sidewalk. "I really am sorry, thank you for not spilling your tea on her. I keep thinking one of these days the whole single father thing will get easier, to no avail," he chuckled.

[bloodwiine]

"You're making me want to indulge more," Essie's smile mirrored Scarlett's, unable to help but add a couple more for varieties sake. "Truly, some people shouldn't be allowed to cook them, it's a waste of quality bird. I'm not going to lie, I wish I had brought a tupperware box or two with me. It'd be great to stock up on leftovers for a week," she joked, chuckling at the other before continuing on, "Or the, oh that's so great, your husband did that but did you hear about mine? Like yours but just a smidge better? It makes you wonder how many of the so-called friendships are just for show."

[lilyofthevvlley]

Scarlett couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of her chest at Essie's reenactment of the countless interactions she herself had been subjected to that evening. "Oh god," she groaned, head falling back with another chuckle. "Now that, but imagine the looks of sheer pity flashed my way when they learn I'm still not married, as if my association with a man should improve my life in any way." She'd made it this far walking over fallen men and their expectations, and had no intention to settle just for the sake of it. "But you don't want a bitter, embattled pirate's perspective on things as finite and precious as love. But do tell me about the amazing things you or your husband have done! I cross my heart, I won't compare it to my own successes," she teased with a smirk.

[lilyofthevvlley]

closed starter for: @bloodwiine muses: lennon x seymour location: main street

disoriented was putting their current situation lightly. lennon walked the street that they remembered so well, but it felt nothing like what they once knew. worst of all, they stared in the window of what now appeared to be a home goods store, the memory of their once thriving record shop flitting in front of their eyes. it hurt. they were looking at their haunting reflection in the shop window when they heard a familiar voice. no - not a voice, the voice - the voice that they'd drifted around purgatory longing to hear. equal parts hope and dread, they turned around, taking in the sight of him. seymour... they gasp, bracing for the moment they woke up. it never came. seymour. then, finally aloud. "seymour!"

[lilyofthevvlley]

open starter for: @veritasislestarter muses: bennett x utp location: somewhere near the shore

"sami, come back here, what have i told you about running up to strangers?," bennett calls, rushing after his daughter. "i'm so sorry, she's still learning about boundaries. i hope she hasn't interrupted anything too serious."